Universita' Commerciale Luigi Bocconi / Bocconi University

• Universita' Commerciale Luigi Bocconi / Bocconi University (Biblioteca Universita' Bocconi)
• Via Gobbi 5 20136, Milano, Italy

• Signe C. Peterson, Director
• tel. ++39 2 58365101 fax. ++39 2 58365016

• Alessandra Bezzi, System library manager
• tel. ++39 2 58365017; fax. ++39 2 58365016
• e-mail bezzi@vm.uni-bocconi.it

• To manage the Library System we use:
  • a UNIX-Aleph (version 3.2.4) licence for 64 terminals and 200.000 records.
  • a dedicated IBM RISC 6000/580 typ. 713 with 128 Mb of central memory, 4 Gb disk storage and 480 Mb of paging space.
  • 45 Personal computers (15 reserved for OPAC) and 15 printers
  • PCs and printers are linked to the host using TPC/IP protocol
  • host is connected to the University main frame via SNA in order to daily down load of borrower records from administrative database.
• Aleph functions implemented and used:
  OPAC, ACQUISITION, CATALOGUING, MAINTENANCE, SERIAL, CIRCULATION, IUTIL

Major developments since last ICAU meeting

• Nov-Dec '94 - Experimental period:
  • Staff-Training
  • Conversion of bibliographic and administrative data from prior system (library suppliers, open orders, periodical issues and subscriptions and holdings data)
  • Input of series, collections and multi-volume works
  • Application of bar codes to materials currently processed
  • Beginning of "Bar Code Project" in preparation for the automation of circulation (circa 140,000 volumes)
  • Automation of Technical Services
  • Acquisitions, Cataloging and Serials Management
  • Personalizations of the Italian version of the OPAC reflecting library policy.
• Feb '95
  • "Bar Code Project" concluded
  • Revision and correction of the catalog data in MARC like format
• Mar '95
  • Conversion of circulation and borrower data from previous system
  • Automation of circulation
• Apr '95
  • Automation of external loan and photocopy requests
• May '95
  • Load and update of brief records with MARC-like cataloging from "Bibliofile" using a special external program developed AD-HOC
• June '95
  • Access to OPAC within library (15 PC+3 printers)
  • Services implemented: search, print, online requests and reservations
  • User training: students, faculty and staff

Our current situation

• "BOC", our online catalog contains:
  • 100,000 monographic volumes (10% of which were derived from "Bibliofile")
  • 5,500 periodicals and government documents and statistical publications
  • 10,000 working papers
  • 15,900 thesis and dissertations (from 1977-)
  • 3,200 annual reports
• On 30/6/95, 15,639 registered users:
  • 11,295 students
  • 2,104 graduating seniors
  • 357 faculty
  • 857 external collaborators of the university
  • 928 external users
• Circulation statistics for June '95:
  • 12,224 loans
  • 12,706 returns
  • 2,964 online requests
  • 2,032 reservations

Major developments planned

• Sept '95 Implementation of ILL module
• Oct '95 Self service circulation (Beta test with Ex-libris and 3M)
• Retrocon project
• Jan-Feb '96 Access to OPAC through university MAN
• Mar-Apr '96 CD-ROM network
• May '96 Evaluation use of client server
• Access of OPAC through GARR and Internet
• Participation in the ITALE network (Aleph's Italian user group)

Open problems

We implemented the circulation module on 29/3/95 and we made our OPAC available to our users in the library on 12/6/95, along with the possibility of reserving materials and requesting them online.

ALEPH has given us many new possibilities (reservations and requests), unfortunately though, to use the system more efficiently and effectively we require a number of modifications which would be of benefit to other Italian libraries or those with similar structures or levels of activity:

1. separate reservation and request activities (flag in tabaleph 15);
2. modify the RE command so that:
   1. irregular users for any reason, can not execute requests and the system will display a message to that effect
   2. the library can locally define the number of requests a user may make simultaneously
   3. the library can locally define the default time for the period of interest.
3. IUTIL 5.12
   1. add as retrieval parameters the range of minutes (from-to)
   2. possibility of defining the "automatic run" of this procedure with the L(oan) parameter during the day at predefined intervals
   3. for requests, print all existing copies of a work requested, not just the first 4 copies
   4. for reservations, do not print requests for copies with a differing status (example: home loan vs. in library use only).
4. Users who have returned overdue materials have the system automatically remove the "fines" when the materials have been returned and a period equal to the number of late days has passed.